My Brother's Mother
by Jinxy13112
Summary: It had been 6 weeks since Ethan had heard the most heart-breaking news he could dream of, 6 weeks since his life began to go downhill and 6 weeks since he first contacted his brother who he hadn't seen in years.
1. Bad News

It had been 6 weeks since Ethan had heard the most heart-breaking news he could dream of, 6 weeks since his life began to go downhill and 6 weeks since he first contacted his brother who he hadn't seen in years.

* * *

Ethan Hardy was a hardworking man, nothing was ever allowed to come between him and his work, nothing except his family or more to the point his mother. Sat at her bedside, where he had spent a lot of his time lately, Ethan took hold of his mother's frail hand as she slept and closed his eyes thinking, just thinking about the last month or so and how much his life had changed in such a short space of time.

* * *

"I'm afraid Mrs Hardy has advanced cancer of the lungs…" The doctor spoke clearly. "I'm afraid other than making her as comfortable as possible there isn't a lot we can do for her. We will put you in contact with some hospices and help you to organize some end of life care for your mother."

Ethan looked at the doctor as he spoke although his hearing seemed to go fuzzy after his first sentence. He was a doctor, he knew what this meant. He couldn't be fed comforting information, he couldn't be spared the distressing facts. He already knew it all. Without a single word spoken Ethan stood up from his seat at the other side of the consultant's desk to what he was used to and walked out the door leaving the consultant to look on in sympathy.

Slowly Ethan had walked down the corridor stopping only when he reached the door to his mother's hospital room. He looked through the window, not going in. His eyes fixed on her face, her hair almost completely gone already from the rounds of chemotherapy she had already endured in the hope to stop the cancer progressing, hope that was now completely gone. Her face that was once always so bright and smiling and full of life was now so pale and lifeless, her lips blue and her eyes sinking so far into her head it looked painful. With that and the breathing tubes that were surrounding her, she was barely recognisable.

Ethan swallowed a lump that had been forming in his throat, coughed slightly and walked out of the ward and out of the hospital into the car park. The cold air, the rain and the wind seemed to reflect how he was feeling. He knew what he had to do next, he had to call his brother. He'd been kept in the dark from day one but now Ethan knew would be his last chance to see his mother, as much as Ethan disliked him he couldn't deprive him of his last goodbye. His hand shook as he withdrew his phone from his pocket and he frowned unable to control it, he had always been able to control himself and control every situation. This time it was different and was beginning to scare him. Snapping himself out of his he brought up a number that he never thought he would ever use, he hadn't even known at the time why he saved it into his phone. He took a deep breath and pressed call, after a few rings a voice answered – "Hello".

"Caleb. It's Ethan. I have some bad news."


	2. No more fighting

**Thanks for the reviews guys, this was literally something I wrote because I was bored. Trying out a different writing style with this too. Not sure where to go after this chapter. Whether to leave it there or to maybe continue. Any suggestions?**

* * *

Ethan reopened his eyes and took a deep breath looking at the clock, he knew his mum wasn't going to last much longer, and Caleb still hadn't turned up. Six weeks, and not one visit. Of course Caleb had been angry at the fact he was only being told now that his mum was on her death bed and he made that very clear to Ethan down the phone. Yet, he still hadn't shown his face. Ethan had been fed every excuse under the sun from work commitments to travel problems, it wouldn't bother him so much but he had promised his mum she'd be able to say goodbye to both of her boys together. It was what she wanted.

Feeling a gently squeeze on his hand Ethan realized his mum's eyes were open slightly, this had become more and more rare as the days past and each time her eyes lost just that little bit more sparkle. This time they were dull, dull and tired and that didn't escape Ethan's notice.

"Hey…" He spoke gently as he leaned closer to her rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand repeatedly as a small comfort for both of them.

"Caleb?" She asked barely above a whisper.

"He's on his way mum. He'll be here soon…" He told her, although he wasn't exactly sure if he was or not.

It wasn't long before her eyes closed once again leaving Ethan to wonder when they would reopen – if they would reopen. He gently kissed her head before he left the room and headed out for some air.

Out in the car park Ethan sat on the bench that was off to the side of entrance. It was beginning to become an all too familiar spot to him, he ate, drank and had even slept on that bench on a few occasions. He couldn't believe how little time he'd spent working, he used to be on call almost 24/7 but that slowly decreased and in the last 2 weeks he hadn't worked a single hour. He didn't feel like a doctor anymore.

Snapped out of his thoughts by a taxi driving past him and through the puddle that was only a meter or so away showering him in dirty rainwater. He shot to his feet as the cold water hit him.

"Oh for god sake!" He spoke angrily and looked over to the taxi that had now pulled up outside the entrance before walking over to it ready to give the idiot driver a piece of his mind. He wasn't expecting his brother to climb out of the passenger side of the offending vehicle though. "Should have known it would have been you." He spoke bitterly.

"Ethan, well hello little brother." He smiled cheekily as he walked around the car to stand facing his brother as the taxi pulled away. "You look terrible."

It took all Ethan had not to swing for Caleb, he had only been here a minute and already he has caused him grief.

"How's mum?" He asked so casually.

"How do you think she is? She's dying Cal! But she is asking to see you. Room 4." He told him before he led him inside not wanting to stand talking to him for long. On his way down the corridor Ethan grabbed a small towel off the stock trolley and dried his face and hair off slightly as he walked before removing his glasses and cleaning them on the corner of it. He stopped outside his mother's room gesturing for Cal to go in.

"Oh god, she looks so… frail." Caleb spoke as he looked through the window.

"Well yeah, she is." His brother responded bitterly, he completely changed when Caleb was around.

Caleb pushed the door open and took Ethan's normal seat beside his mum and took her hand gently before whispering. "Mum? Mum it's Cal..."

"She only wakes up for a few minutes a day, and she was awake earlier." Ethan informed him as he stood beside him. To his shock though his mum opened her eyes slowly and looked at her eldest son.

"Caleb. Finally." She spoke sleepily.

"I'm sorry I took so long mum, I was working and you know how difficult it is to get time off and…" he was cut short by her shaking her head slightly.

"Shh now. No time for excuses." She then looked at Ethan who had pulled over another chair as was sat side by side with Cal. "You've been brilliant, thank you." She spoke again but this time even quieter as her breathing was becoming more labored.

"Mum you need to rest…" He told her. "Don't speak."

"I have had plenty rest… now… now I have to speak." She told him clearly out of breath. "My two boys, together. I'm proud of you. Both of you."

At the Ethan could feel his eyes begin to fill and took a shaky breath to control himself.

"Don't be sad." She said reaching for Ethan's hand which he took gently. "You two…you two need to look after each other. Please… no…no more fighting…" She begged them both. "I love you boys…" With that her eyes closed once more and her breathing began to slow until it came to a stop and the long beep of the monitor rung out in the room.

The boys didn't move and neither of them spoke for what felt like hours but in reality was only minutes before Ethan let go of his mum's hand and he walked around the bed to turn off the machine. Once off the room was silent again and Ethan closed his eyes with his head hung as he tried to maintain control of himself. Cal then stood up and lifted the cover on the bed gently before draping it over his mother. At this movement Ethan looked at him, all anger in his body taken over by the grief he was now feeling and all hatred for Caleb suddenly disappearing as he saw his normally cocky and loud mouthed brother wipe a tear from his face.

"You alright?" Ethan was the first to speak, Cal looked at him as the brothers made eye contact and smiled ever so slightly at each other.

"Yeah…" Cal answered. "I'm sorry."

Ethan wasn't sure why his brother had apologized, he had plenty to be sorry for but it wasn't like him to admit it. Ethan just decided to nod to him before he walked out of the room knowing Cal would follow behind him.


End file.
